diff --git a/src/lib/multifact.hpp b/src/lib/multifact.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d7595565c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/multifact.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+/*
+  MULTIFACT.hpp  -  flexible family-of-object factory template
+ 
+  Copyright (C)         Lumiera.org
+    2009,               Hermann Vosseler <Ichthyostega@web.de>
+ 
+  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+  modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+  published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+  License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ 
+  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ 
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+  Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
+ 
+*/
+
+/** @file multifact.hpp
+ ** Building blocks of a configurable factory, generating families of related objects.
+ ** 
+ ** @todo WIP-WIP-WIP ... currently collecting various bits of implementation here. TICKET #277
+ ** 
+ ** @see SingletonFactory
+ ** @see lib::factory::Factory
+ */
+
+
+#ifndef LIB_MULTIFACT_H
+#define LIB_MULTIFACT_H
+
+
+#include "lib/error.hpp"
+//#include <tr1/memory>
+
+#include <tr1/functional>
+
+
+
+namespace lib {
+  namespace factory {
+    
+    /**
+     * Repository of registered production lines.
+     * @todo write type comment
+     */
+    template<typename TY, typename ID>
+    class Fab
+      {
+        typedef TY& RawProduct;
+        typedef std::tr1::function<RawProduct(void)> & FactoryFunc;
+        
+      public:
+        static FactoryFunc
+        select (ID id)
+          {
+            UNIMPLEMENTED ("how to store/select the production line");
+          }
+        
+        static void
+        defineProduction (ID id, FactoryFunc fun)
+          {
+            UNIMPLEMENTED ("how to store/select the production line");
+          }
+      };
+    
+    
+    
+    /**
+     * @todo write type comment
+     */
+    template< typename TY
+            , typename ID
+            , template<class> class Wrapper
+            >
+    class MultiFact
+      : Wrapper<TY>
+      {
+        typedef Fab<TY,ID> _Fab;
+        typedef typename _Fab::FactoryFunc Creator;
+        typedef typename WR::PType Product;
+        
+      public:
+        Product
+        operator() (ID id)
+          {
+            Creator func = _Fab::select(id);
+            return wrap (func());
+          }
+        
+        /**
+         * to set up a production line,
+         * associated with a specific ID
+         */
+        struct Produce
+          : Creator
+          {
+            template<typename FUNC>
+            Produce (ID id, FUNC fun)
+              : Creator(fun)
+              {
+                _Fab::defineProduction (id, *this);
+              }
+          };
+        
+      };
+      
+      
+      
+  } // namespace factory
+  
+//using factory::Factory;
+  
+  
+} // namespace lib
+#endif
diff --git a/tests/40components.tests b/tests/40components.tests
index c7efedcf3..2da0e1e44 100644
--- a/tests/40components.tests
+++ b/tests/40components.tests
@@ -284,6 +284,16 @@ return: 0
 END
 
 
+PLANNED "configurable Factory" MultiFact_test <<END
+out: Impl-1
+out: Impl-2
+out: Impl-3
+out: Impl-4
+out: sizeof\( .+ \) =   1
+return: 0
+END
+
+
 TEST "inline type erasure" OpaqueHolder_test  <<END
 out: 1
 out: 3
diff --git a/tests/lib/Makefile.am b/tests/lib/Makefile.am
index 1acd20f60..d0fca1599 100644
--- a/tests/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ test_lib_LDADD =			\
 	$(NOBUGMT_LUMIERA_LIBS) -ldl -lboost_program_options-mt -lboost_regex-mt
 
 test_lib_SOURCES =						\
+	$(testlib_srcdir)/mainsuite.cpp				\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/allocationclustertest.cpp		\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/appconfigtest.cpp			\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/customsharedptrtest.cpp		\
@@ -48,8 +49,8 @@ test_lib_SOURCES =						\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/hash-indexed-test.cpp			\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/helloworldtest.cpp			\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/lifecycletest.cpp			\
+	$(testlib_srcdir)/multifact-test.cpp			\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/iter-adapter-test.cpp			\
-	$(testlib_srcdir)/mainsuite.cpp				\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/meta/typelist-test.cpp         	\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/meta/typelist-manip-test.cpp    	\
 	$(testlib_srcdir)/meta/typeseq-manip-test.cpp    	\
diff --git a/tests/lib/multifact-test.cpp b/tests/lib/multifact-test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e91ba71f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lib/multifact-test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+/*
+  MultiFact(Test)  -  unittest for the configurable object-family creating factory
+ 
+  Copyright (C)         Lumiera.org
+    2009,               Hermann Vosseler <Ichthyostega@web.de>
+ 
+  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+  modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+  published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+  License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ 
+  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ 
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+  Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
+ 
+* *****************************************************/
+
+
+#include "lib/test/run.hpp"
+#include "lib/multifact.hpp"
+#include "lib/util.hpp"
+
+#include <boost/lexical_cast.hpp>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+
+
+
+namespace lib {
+namespace test{
+  
+  using boost::lexical_cast;
+  //using util::isnil;
+  using util::isSameObject;
+  using std::string;
+  using std::cout;
+  
+  
+  namespace { // hierarchy of test dummy objects
+    
+    struct Interface
+      {
+        virtual ~Interface() {};
+        virtual operator string ();
+      };
+    
+    enum theID
+      { ONE = 1
+      , TWO
+      , THR
+      , FOU
+      };
+    
+    typedef MultiFact<Interface, theID, PassReference> TestFactory;
+    
+    
+    template<theID ii>
+    class Implementation
+      : public Interface
+      {
+        operator string()
+          {
+            return "Impl-"+lexical_cast<string> (ii);
+          }
+      };
+    
+    TestFactory::ProduceSingleton<Implementation<ONE> > _register_for_fabrication_ONE;
+    TestFactory::ProduceSingleton<Implementation<TWO> > _register_for_fabrication_TWO;
+    TestFactory::ProduceSingleton<Implementation<THR> > _register_for_fabrication_THR;
+    TestFactory::ProduceSingleton<Implementation<FOU> > _register_for_fabrication_FOU;
+  }
+  
+  
+  
+  
+  
+  /*******************************************************************
+   * @test verify simple setup of the MultiFact template.
+   *       Define a hierarchy of test dummy objects, such as to
+   *       register them automatically for creation through a suitable
+   *       instantiation of MultiFact. Verify we get the correct product
+   *       when invoking this MultiFac flavour.
+   * @see  lib::MultiFact
+   */
+  class MultiFact_test : public Test
+    {
+      void
+      run (Arg) 
+        {
+          TestFactory theFact;
+          cout << theFact(ONE) << endl;
+          cout << theFact(TWO) << endl;
+          cout << theFact(THR) << endl;
+          cout << theFact(FOU) << endl;
+          cout << showSizeof (theFact) << endl;
+          
+          Interface & o1 = theFact(ONE);
+          Interface & o2 = theFact(ONE);
+          ASSERT (isSameObject(o1,o2));
+          
+          TestFactory anotherFact;
+          Interface & o3 = anotherFact(ONE);
+          ASSERT (isSameObject(o2,o3));
+        } 
+    };
+  
+  
+  /** Register this test class... */
+  LAUNCHER (MultiFact_test, "unit common");
+  
+  
+  
+}} // namespace lib::test